Trump+Musk; the DOGE and Pony show continues -Trump thread #140

[Spandauer]

Trump, as out of control as a faulty Tesla, takes an ICE pick to the Constitution.

Thanks to @AcrossthePond55 and @Jaichangecentfoisdenom for the thread title and sub-title 😊

Photocollage: Cold War Steve
Map illustration: Barry Blitt

Previous thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5286872-the-orange-man-and-the-state-of-his-union-trump-thread-139

However even then, all GOP votes are needed. And even in MAGA land (as we have seen) that is a challenge.

And the smaller the margin, then the more leverage they have. You want my vote. Then where's my states billion dollar bailout ?

She looked very uncomfortable at that place; like forced to play a role.

by the way, also Mike Waltz's wife was there, and look what kind of job and role she has:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Nesheiwat

How is that not a conflict of interest? Everyone in the administration is a conflict of interest. It does happen in other countries, too, I'm aware, but still this is very blatant.

Keep it in the family

Hesgeth brought his wife along to to top security meetings and hired his brother at the Pentagon

Met up with an American friend this evening. Even he is boycotting U S products and won't travel home.

Starmer has been told to 'get tough with Trump' regarding tariffs, but I think there's two problems with this: first, Starmer has no leverage or at least no one has worked out any that the UK might have. The second problem is that the UK gvt is still looking for a BFF like the US and EU used to me but those days are gone: they need to learn to be a bit more shithouse friendly but strategic.

The Uk is in a difficult position thanks to Brexit.

There we go, you’ve finally found a Brexit benefit! Oh, no, wait..

Seems Trump called Carney (i.e folded) and requested a meeting. Go Canada !

Trump - and the US - need to reflect on what happens to countries that fight wars on more than one front.Your enemies call all learn from each other.

Musk is triggered by the Netflix drama Adolescence and thinks it's perpetrator was 'meant to be black'

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/adolescence-elon-musk-race-jack-thorne-b2723874.html

https://apnews.com/article/social-media-immigration-applicants-handles-dhs-f67b480abebff7e451056be17572593d

Its the gratuitous destruction of working systems that is doing my head in
Smithsonian museums are good and sometimes odd, but political interference helps nobody

.

Vance, Musk and don't forget Miller...

This POS is WH deputy chief of staff - so presumably speaks for the administration.
(It must be so exhausting having that much hate inside you)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-third-term-white-house-methods-rcna198752

Trump won’t rule out seeking a third term in the White House, tells NBC News ‘there are methods’ for doing so

The Constitution says no one can be twice elected so the scenario where Vance (or another chosen shill) selects Scrotus as VP and, assuming they win, resigns the office making Scrotus the POTUS would be Constitutionally possible. But to stay in office 'in perpetuity', in each term he'd have to select a VP, get them elected, have them resign, appoint another VP, etc etc, ad infinitum.

If they just used the term 'served' instead of 'elected' when they wrote the 22nd Amendment.

"Section 1
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term."

Personally, I'd love to see Obama selected as a VP nom and pull the same 'trick'. But that's never going to happen.

I'm not sure anyone paying attention would be shocked by this. *

Maybe he's intending to do a Putin/Medvedev style swaperoo? With Vance. Although the fondness for certain beverages, maybe Medvedev is a closer match for Hegseth?

• his refusing to rule it out I mean

but the vp is on the ballot, right?
can a vp serve more than 2 terms?

The Constitution doesn't specify any term limits for the VP. Technically they could serve as VP as many times as they want (assuming they were selected as running mate).

FWIW no VP has served more than 8 years.

This hyperbolic pile of excrement sounds deranged.

The other possibility is that he just ignores the law. Laws don't stop people from doing things if everyone with the power decide to ignore them.

😀 I wasn't obliquely suggesting there's a Brexit benefit here. Rather that the diplomatic landscape has changed and tbh Brexit isn't relevant to that.

The way I see it, the US is no longer a reliable ally. And the EU? It projects economic power but nothing else, it won't ever be nimble enough for situations like the present unless it becomes a federal state. That's decades away even if Hungary and other similar countries ever accept it.

What I hope is that the big powers of the West can work together, ie bypass the US, by working with each other. That means not fixating on working with anyone in particular.

There is one limiting factor that even Trump can’t overcome - his age. He’s already going to be 82 when this term concludes, so whilst he may fancy the idea of Trump 3.0, nature may well have other ideas.

Everytime he's says something stupid or horrific I find my thoughts arguing with each other. On the one hand WTF? I can't begin to even imagine a 3rd term with him in charge. Struggling with this one and there's a big beautiful ocean between us... I can't imagine what it's like having to deal with the consequences of his stupid decisions first hand.
But also he's an idiot, who says a lot of stupid shit and will probably get distracted by something shiny before then so theres no point worrying about it. I hope.

He is now threatening to bomb Iran if they don't agree to a nuclear deal

So much for the Nobel peace prize

This might be interesting to people:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/556653/us-allies-like-nz-a-critical-component-of-deterrence-in-space-warfare-generals

It concerns a recent US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Basically, the argument put is that China is the military threat and the US should increase resources there.

Not mentioned in the article, but you could put the situation like this:

1. European frontier: Russia (a declining state with outdated weapons) v a number of wealthy and well-armed states that have the capacity to increase their armed forces. And in an area of comparative economic decline.
2. Asia-Pacific frontier: China (resourcing its armed forces hugely) v few allies and even fewer with decent defence capability. And in an area of comparative economic growth.

If you look beyond the MAGA craziness there is a valid argument that Europe must look after itself and the Americans have been making that point for nearly a decade. In the meantime, China is increasing its reach into the Pacific each year and has just conducted a live-firing exercise in the Tasman Sea.